This steamer trunk, belonging to Anne Sheldon-Duplaix, traveled back and forth with her grandparents between New York and Europe, holding all their possessions until it was passed to her parents’ home in Northern France, and then on to her. She used it to store a carefully curated fabric collection and her dreams of becoming a clothing seamstress. One day, Anne opened the trunk and began sewing clothes for her daughter, which led her to open a children’s clothing shop by constructing clothes from the fabric stored in the steamer trunk at her East Village, NYC home.

Nick Huff is the proud owner of this Navajo tapestry, made by hand and gifted to his grandmother by her best friend, Midge. In turn, the gift was passed on to him. This piece is a meaningful reminder of the connection Nick had with Midge and his grandmother. “I always value the human connection over anything that might be in the home,” he shares about his approach to decoration in his duplex in Omaha, NE.

Heirlooms often represent a beloved person or memory that tells us a little bit more about who we are. They don’t have to be on trend or in good condition to add warmth and personality to our homes. Not every heirloom has a fantastic history, but they all create a sense of family and belonging that serves as a reminder of the journeys that have brought us together. Here are 10 family heirlooms from the archives that celebrate history and family.